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The Skin

The Skin. Chapter 14 Section 4. The Body’s Tough Covering. Skin performs major functions in the body Covers and protects the body from injury, infection, water loss Helps regulate body temperature Eliminates waste Gathers information about the environment Produces vitamin D.

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The Skin

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  1. The Skin Chapter 14 Section 4

  2. The Body’s Tough Covering • Skin performs major functions in the body • Covers and protects the body from injury, infection, water loss • Helps regulate body temperature • Eliminates waste • Gathers information about the environment • Produces vitamin D

  3. Protecting the Body • Forms a barrier that keeps disease-causing microorganisms and harmful substances outside the body • Keeps important substances inside the body

  4. Maintaining Temperature • Blood vessels run throughout the skin • When you become too warm, blood vessels enlarge • Amount of blood that flows through increases • This allows heat to move from your body into the outside environment • Sweat glands produce perspiration, which cools body

  5. Eliminating Waste • Perspiration contains dissolved waste materials from the breakdown of chemicals during perspiration

  6. Gathering Information • Nerves in skin provide information about such things as pressure, pain, and temperature • Pain messages warn you that something in your surrounding may have been injured

  7. Producing Vitamin D • Some skin cells produce vitamin D in the presence of sunlight • Vitamin D= healthy bones • Helps absorb calcium in food

  8. Two Main Layers in Skin • Epidermis • Dermis

  9. The Epidermis • Outer layer of the skin • Thinner than the dermis • No nerves or blood vessels • Epidermal cells begin life deeps in the epidermis • New cells mature and move upward • After about two weeks, the cells die • Most protection provided by skin is due to the layer of dead cells on surface • Cells deep in epidermis produce melanin • Melanin: a pigment, or colored substance, that gives skin its color

  10. The Dermis • Inner layer of the skin • Fat layer that pads internal organs and helps keep heat in the body • Contains nerves, blood vessels, hairs, sweat glands, and oil glands • Pores: sweat glands produce perspiration, which reaches the surface through these openings • Follicles: structures in which strands of hair grow within the dermis

  11. Caring for Your Skin • Healthful diet • Limiting sun exposure • Keep skin clean

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